Purdue Three Keys: Missouri Tigers

West Lafayette – The Purdue Boilermakers take their show on the road this week as they have a match up for Saturday afternoon with the Missouri Tigers. Purdue will have to be on their game Saturday as Missouri boasts a high flying offense that is difficult to stop. It will be important for Purdue to be sound in their game play Saturday. If they want to get the biggest win of the short Jeff Brohm era, they’ll need to follow these three keys.

Turnovers

Purdue is the nation’s top team in terms of forcing fumbles with five. They have been a ball hawking defense, especially against the run. The Gold and Black will need any extra possession they can get Saturday, and stopping the explosive Missouri offense with turnovers is how to get there. What Purdue will need to improve on is getting interceptions, they have none on the season. If they want to get in the head of Missouri QB Drew Lock they will want to get started on that early. What they will also need to do is slow down on the turnovers. Against Louisville Purdue had four turnovers and lost the game by seven. Against Ohio, the Boilers had no turnovers and won by 23. Just like Purdue needing to get extra possession, they can’t be giving them away.

Get to the Quarterback

Purdue has to do better about getting to the quarterback. Through two games the Boilers have generated only one sack. As the competition gets tougher not getting any sacks is going to hurt Purdue. What better way for Purdue to get it going than against an SEC team. Missouri has only allowed two sacks so far on the season, so getting to Lock will be a struggle. The Boilers have shown they can get to the QB, but finishing the job has been problematic. Purdue on multiple occasions against Louisville and Ohio when they had the QB all but on the ground, and somehow he got away. Getting Lock off of his spot in the pocket could be huge to helping key #1.

Basketball on Grass

Now this doesn’t mean Joe Tiller will be coming back to Purdue to coach the team, but Purdue could use some keys from the Tiller Era. Missouri is currently ranked 115th in the nation against the pass. The combination of David Blough and Elijah Sindelar could have a field day throwing the ball. The key will be for the receivers to get open. Luckily for the Boilers passing game, Purdue has one of the brightest offensive minds in college football. Purdue shouldn’t get completely away from the run, but don’t be shocked to see Blough and Sindelar combine for 50 passes throw Saturday.

The buzz around the Boilermaker football program has increased exponentially the last two weeks with two solid performances. Purdue came up short against the No. 16 team in the nation. Coach Brohm has said often about stealing games away from teams who should probably beat them. Saturday Purdue will have that chance.

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